Short and Sweet

So you want to make chocolates to give somebody you love a little treat for Valentine’s Day? Or you need a quick fix just because it’s Tuesday? Even if you’re feeling too pregnant to be on your feet in a hot kitchen, or too tired from feeding a new baby round the clock, don’t let that stop you from indulging!

Here are three recipes so simple your kid could help make them, and so delicious you won’t want to share. Stash these recipes away for later… I promise your bump will one day walk and talk. Once they do, they can absolutely join the fun with these easy recipes that are all about mixing, scooping and licking the bowl!

A word about chocolate: I like Guittard chocolate chips, but another brand is fine as long as it’s made with cocoa butter. Each of these recipes starts with tempered chocolate, which is heated and then cooled to create shiny, crisp confections. You can do it in the microwave, or on the stove.

Place 1 cup of chocolate in glass bowl, set remaining half cup aside
MICROWAVE: heat on low heat for 30 seconds, stir, repeat until totally melted. OR STOVE: put 1 inch water in small sauce pan on low heat, fit glass bowl with chocolate on top of pan to make a double boiler, stir constantly until totally melted
Remove melted chocolate from microwave or stove, set glass bowl on top of dish towel on counter. Gradually add in remaining half cup of chocolate, stirring until it totally melts.

WARNING: Whatever you do, don’t get the chocolate wet. On the stove top, make sure your double boiler has the glass bowl completely cover the pot so no water escapes over the sides. And whether you temper on the stove or in the microwave, it’s really important to place the bowl on a dish towel when you’re done. This absorbs any moisture on the outside of the bowl and keeps water from getting in there while you mix the rest of the chocolate in.

Now, you’re ready to add ingredients! Each of the recipes are one-bowl wonders. You’ll need parchment paper, a cutting board, a sharp knife and the same spoons you use to eat cereal. For the last recipe, you’ll also need an immersion blender or food processor. Each recipe makes two to three dozen pieces, depending on how large you make each piece.

Mix diced peanut butter pretzels into tempered milk chocolate
Place parchment paper on the counter or table, use books to hold down the sides if it curls
Scoop small dollops on to the parchment, making circles about 1.5 inches across
Place one half peanut in center
Let cool 2 hours on counter, then stick in fridge if not eating right away

Mix diced apricots and crystalized ginger into tempered milk chocolate
Scoop small dollops on to parchment, making circles about 1.5 inches in diameter
Place 3 to 5 almond slivers on top, fanned out from center of circle
Let cool 2 hours on counter, then store in fridge if not eating immediately

Using immersion blender or food processor, pulse coconut flakes into fine powder, set aside
Using immersion blender or food processor, pulse almonds, set aside
Temper semisweet chocolate, mix in ground almonds, and scoop on to parchment to form circles about 1.5 inches in diameter. Let cool one hour
Temper white chocolate, mix in coconut, and scoop on top of the cooled semisweet chocolate circles
Let cool 2 hours, then store in fridge if not eating immediately

For more information about Sweet Brooklyn Truffle Co., contact: sweetbklyn11211@gmail.com

About Lisa Rapaport

Lisa Rapaport lives in Williamsburg and is proud mama to Ava, 5 years, Lily 2 years, and Sweet Brooklyn Truffle Co., 15 months. She first fell in love with making truffles on a Valentine's Day date with her then boyfriend (now husband of 12+ years) at a candy-making class in Berkeley. Since then, she's been making a living as a writer and editor, while making a series of delicious messes in her kitchen. Sweet Brooklyn Truffle Co. crafts small-batch chocolates for special occasions. Each batch is made to order, and every truffle is custom-blended and dipped by hand. For more information, contact: sweetbklyn11211@gmail.com

Lisa Rapaport lives in Williamsburg and is proud mama to Ava, 5 years, Lily 2 years, and Sweet Brooklyn Truffle Co., 15 months. She first fell in love with making truffles on a Valentine's Day date with her then boyfriend (now husband of 12+ years) at a candy-making class in Berkeley. Since then, she's been making a living as a writer and editor, while making a series of delicious messes in her kitchen. Sweet Brooklyn Truffle Co. crafts small-batch chocolates for special occasions. Each batch is made to order, and every truffle is custom-blended and dipped by hand. For more information, contact: sweetbklyn11211@gmail.com